Data Analytics A Kaleidoscope Of Change
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
Nearly 50 percent of healthcare organizations are seeing positive returns on technology investments.
According to a recent survey designed to identify primary trends in health IT systems as well as current and emerging software applications, nearly half of healthcare organizations who responded reported a positive return on investment in data analytics and reporting technology.
The survey was conducted by TCS Healthcare Technologies in conjunction with the Case Management Society of America and the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, and it found the landscape changing quickly from similar measures taken in 2008 and 2010.
“With the growth of population health management programs, data analytics and interactive reporting is key to creating actionable information to optimize clinical outcomes,” says Rob Pock, founder and president of TCS Healthcare Technologies. “While this trend report highlights how information technology is changing the way health care professionals view, analyze and manage data, it also showcases the progress that is needed to optimize data analytic functions.”
Among respondents, forty-six percent reported positive ROI, compared with 14 percent who reported a negative return, according to the announcement. Thirty percent of respondents reported stratifying healthcare information to promote population-based screening, or to identify candidates for case management. Meanwhile, there was a 10 percent drop in those who reported using predictive modeling applications, down to 25 percent from the 35 percent who reported doing so two years ago.
Excel (39 percent), Crystal Reports (20 percent) and Access (17 percent) remain the most widely used applications.
Users cited the importance of dashboard and visualization capabilities, naming among their priorities the ability to manipulate reports and data presented and to view trends for individual patients and for large sets of data.
“To the best of our knowledge, this survey represents the most in-depth research looking at the ways care management software systems have been used and modified over the past six years,” says Garry Carneal, JD, MA, president & CEO of Schooner Strategies and research coordinator. “Not only is it surprising to see the forward progress that is being made, but to witness the major health IT solution challenges that medical professionals continue to face.”
Applications for population health management that integrate claims and clinical data are key to the success of accountable care organizations, an IDC Health Insights report found recently, saying many organizations have found that relying on EHR information alone isn't enough.